14 Semi-Finalist Compete Next Week on "The Next Best Thing" 7/5/07

"THE NEXT BEST THING: WHO IS THE GREATEST CELEBRITY IMPERSONATOR?" SEMI-FINALS CONTINUE AT THE FAMED ORPHEUM THEATRE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK 

"Little Richard," "Howard Stern," "Barbra Streisand," "Elvis," "Jack Nicholson," "Gloria Estefan," " Dolly Parton," Robin Williams," "George W. Bush," "Roseanne Barr," "Kenny Chesney," "The Honeymooners," "Rodney Dangerfield," and "Frank Sinatra" to Become "The Next Best Thing" 

"Episode 106" -- "The Next Best Thing: Who is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?" has narrowed the hundreds of impersonator hopefuls down to 14 semi-finalists. In this episode, the first 14 semi-finalists will strut their stuff in front of a live studio audience and the panel of razor sharp comedian judges -- Jeffrey Ross ("Comedy Central Roasts," "The Aristocrats"), Lisa Ann Walter ("The Parent Trap," "Shall We Dance?") and Elon Gold ("Stacked," "Cheaper By the Dozen") -- at the Orpheum Theatre, WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. Michele Merkin ("Foody Call," "Extreme Dodgeball") is the host.

The semi-finalists for this episode are: Garry Moore as Little Richard, Paul Ratz as Howard Stern, Sharon Owens as Barbra Steisand, Trent Carlini as Elvis, David Gee as Jack Nicholson, Julie Ellis as Gloria Estefan, Sandy Anderson as Dolly Parton, Roger Kabler as Robin Williams, Jim Nieb as George W. Bush, Anne Kissel as Roseanne Barr, Denny Murphy as Kenny Chesney, Curtis Bettenheim and Joe Keintzelman as The Honeymooners, Erv Dahl as Rodney Dangerfield, and Sebastian Anzaldo as Frank Sinatra.

The judges will pick five of the contestants from each semi-final to move on to the finals, where America will then vote for the final winning impersonator through a viewer voting system. The winner will be crowned "The Next Best Thing" and also receive a grand prize of $100,000.

"The Next Best Thing" is produced by Peter Engel Productions Inc. and New Wave Entertainment. Peter Engel and Barry Katz serve as executive producers. Also executive producing is the team of Fax Bahr and Adam Small ("The Jamie Kennedy Experience," "Mad TV"). Peter Engel has produced over one thousand episodes of weekly entertainment, including the teen mega-hit "Saved by the Bell."

New Wave Entertainment is a premier content development and production enterprise and one of the entertainment industry's largest entertainment marketing and creative services agencies. Burbank-based New Wave is owned by principals Paul Apel and Alan Baral.

This program carries a TV-PG,D,L parental guideline.

Source: ABC Press Release